bands with members who became famous elsewhere ( #BOTB ),

          We've been having cool nights and balmy days after a bit of rain to usher in our new year.  It's Los Angeles after all and I guess that's what we should expect at this time of year.  For whatever it's worth.  And really how much is it worth just to say this?  How about we do this....

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Other lives/lifetimes

      In the mid-sixties in opposite parts of the world--Britain and Australia--two mildly successful rock bands were formed that would later give us a couple of big stars in the music world.  And that brings us to another Battle of the Bands.  Take a listen to each song and tell which you like best...



Zoot  "Eleanor Rigby"  (1970)

     Not only did Zoot give the music world the beginnings of The Little River Band, but even more famously this band yielded the heartthrob star of the eighties, Rick Springfield who most notably recorded "Jesse's Girl" as well as making a number of appearances on the popular soap opera General Hospital.  They released this Beatles song in 1970 and charted in Australia reaching #4.  







The Herd   "From the Underworld"  (1967)

      Peter Frampton became the pretty faced guitarist and vocalist for the band The Herd in 1966 when he was only 16.  The band charted with mild success in Britain and then Frampton went on to form the band Humble Pie to an even greater success.  Then he went solo and eventually put out his immensely popular live album in 1976.  Here is one of his "hits" with The Herd...

Time to Vote!

       Before you too become too famous to vote on these Battles, take a moment.   Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on the day that I put them up

 

      It will be soon I assure you.  

Time Is Now ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results )

   Christmas is over and I'm still talking about presents.  However, I'm thinking about the most important present of all and that is now, today, the whole where we are in our lives at this moment.  Really though, I'm always thinking about past, present, and future.  Aren't we all?  For the most part.  Maybe...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 
     The co-hosts for the January 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray.

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

    Couldn't get done?  I don't know.  I can always get something done if I really want to, but I'm a bit lazy I suppose.  And maybe conflicted too?  Sometimes I feel the importance of things that later I ponder as to why they are important anyway.  My writing is important to me I suppose, but how far beyond that does this "importance" go?  I guess the best way to find that out is to keep writing and so that is what I plan to do.

      In essence, my plans for this year are the same as most years that came before.  I want to keep writing songs, but also do something with them.  We'll see.  I still have a ton of songs started that I'd like to finish some day which means now is a good time to do that.  Same with my memoir writing.  I'm more focused on that than any fiction aspirations, but apparently I haven't been focused enough to actually produce any significant progress on that front. 

       Time is not going to stop for me to get on board.  I'm already there and whatever I do with my time is up to me.  I'd better get busy.  The station of my destination is getting closer.

Battle of the Bands Results

Holding Back the Years Battle

     My previous Battle was a showdown between two different artists performing the Simply Red hit "Holding Back the Years".  I must say that I really liked the Angie Stone version with the percussive backing and all.  Love that kind of sound.  And the organ!  But, like the rest of you I had to give my vote to Dan Mason.  Just enjoyed his sound better.  And he won.

Final Vote Tally

Daniel Mason Band       7 votes

Angie Stone                    0 votes             

Holding Back the Years (What, Again?) ( #BOTB )

     And just like that 2025 was over!  It was a pretty good year for me and my house.  We're still going,,  maybe not as strong as in past years, but pretty darn good I'd say.  And here on this blog the music is still not over.  Listen!  It's more music I hear...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Holding Back the Years

     Well, it looks like Déjà vu all over again. I've used this song a couple of other New Years Day Battles, but to me it's a good song and right for the occasion.  After all, this is often a time when many of us reflect on the past as well as a hopefully better future. I hope your past year was at least as good as my own and I hope the year to come is better for all of us.  

      So on with this Battle with two versions, both live performances.  Take a listen if you will and tell us which one you prefer...

Daniel Mason Band  "Holding Back the Years"  (2018)






Angie Stone  "Holding Back the Years"  (2000)

Time to Vote!

        Don't hold on too long!    Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
 
'Curious as a Cathy' 

Sound of One Hand Typing

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on Monday January 8th

       Happy New Year to all of you!